Graft curbed in Herat customs dept, say traders

KABUL (Pajhwok): The level of corruption in the customs department of western Herat province has decreased by the Taliban government, an official said on Monday.

Younis Qazizada, head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Pajhwok Afghan News mafia members had been eliminated from the department after the Taliban’s takeover.

He stressed the need for paying serious attention to the collection of full customs duty and transparent clearance of goods.

Qazizada said: “Fortunately, corruption in the Herat customs department has decreased and the Islamic Emirate should make more efforts to bring administrative graft to zero.”

Hamidullah Khadim, head of the Herat chamber of commerce, acknowledged that unlike the previous government, the Islamic Emirate had taken effective steps to fight corruption and reduce customs tariffs.

Khadim believed if customs officials imposed duty on imported goods like the locally-produced products, it would not only benefit factories but also keep the industrial town alive.

“We are now seeing fewer food items similar to domestic products in the market and the reason is that tariffs are being strictly enforced and corruption prevented,” he explained.

Khadim confirmed under the new government, the scope for corrupt traders was shrinking and they were unable to enter the country without paying customs tariffs or pating nominal duties.

Wazir Ahmad, a truck driver, said for more than two months, no one had asked him for bribes at the customs department and had not faced any problem at all.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Maulvi Sher Ahmad Amar promised they would spare no effort to fight corruption in the customs department.

According to him, fixing a rational duty rate for products would pave the way for the growth of industry and trade.

Herat businessmen want the Taliban administration to learn from the mistakes of the previous government to combat corruption.

This report has been produced by Pajhwok and financially supported by UNDP and Denmark.

sa/mud